North Leeds Plumbing & Heating – Home Improvement and DIY Advice

Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category

Underfloor heating systems are a unique way to heat the home. It was assumed that it was invented by the Romans, but there is some evidence that it was actually the Koreans who used it first in the Bronze Age. The heating system used was to warm air or smoke in a furnace which was positioned at one side of a void under the floor of the building. This would then work its way through the void to the chimney which was usually located at the opposite side of the building, warming the floors and consequently the rooms above it as it went.

The Roman system was similar but they used hot water or steam which passed through ducts under floors that were suspended on pillars of stones and in the same way heated the air in the rooms. Again the steam was expelled through chimneys at the corners of the rooms. The optimum height of these voids was about two feet to allow the steam to heat the house. The furnace that provided this water was placed close to the bathroom and so it heated the water for bathing before it warmed the rest of the building.

Today underfloor heating systems are popular as they are more economical and healthier than conventional types of heating and are an easy addition to new build homes. It can be more expensive and difficult to install into older buildings although it is possible to do. It is compatible with most types of flooring and the lack of radiators helps to keep rooms simple and easy to decorate.

Obviously the costs of running underfloor heating depend on the type of heating that is chosen. Due to the differences in all buildings assessing an accurate running cost can be difficult, but using electric heating and providing that the insulation is in line with the current building regulations and there are thermostatic controls in the rooms, it is estimated that it should cost between £3 and £4 per cubic metre per annum to run. However a room such as a conservatory will obviously be more expensive to heat.

Using a water powered underfloor heating system (water heated by gas) the costs will be lower, but as with all similar systems it will depend on your usage.  The recommendation is that you adjust the thermostats to suit your requirements; for example, lowering the temperature at night when rooms are empty, not allowing rooms to get very cold as this will cost more to get them back to a realistic temperature and, most importantly, not heating rooms up to too high a temperature. Wet underfloor heating is definitely a cheaper option than the electric version.

The most economical form of underfloor heating is solar powered, although it is possibly slightly more expensive to install. Once in use though it should be very reasonable to run because you are using the free heat of the sun which, with the new solar panels, can be harvested on even the dullest of days and any excess electricity produced can be sold back to the power company helping you to recoup some of the expenses.

Underfloor heating is a popular DIY project; what person doesn’t hate walking across a cold floor first thing of a winter’s morning. There is no better way to get up in the morning than to a toasty warm floor.

The simplest system to install is electric heated floor mats. These are rolled out across the floor surface and then the flooring, be it tiles, laminate or boards are fitted as normal on top. Once the mat is plugged in you have an instantly heated floor.

The underfloor hot water heating system is more involved and complicated to fit and should only be undertaken by an experienced DIY expert. They rely on a network of water pipes that connect to the central heating system. Due to the diameter of the pipes you will have to first seal the pipes in a concrete slab, over which you fit your desired flooring.

Where fitting under tile heating yourself becomes complicated is with the connecting of water pumps, heating units and assessing the correct amount of piping required as this varies depending on the property. Anyone contemplating their own underfloor heating system needs to have a good knowledge of plumbing and electrical work before starting, otherwise you could end up costing yourself more than you intended.

For this reason the best place for a first attempt at DIY underfloor heating installation is upstairs. Here you can loop the pipes around and through the ceiling joists and there is no need for concrete flooring or false floors to be constructed.

Basically, underfloor heating is a central heating system which works from the floor upwards, warming the air through conduction and radiation. Heat is generated by electricity passing through conductive cables, film or mesh, or by hot water from a boiler, running through a network of pipes. These are then hidden under the floor covering, whether tiles, wood or laminate.

Under tile heating has seen an enormous increase in popularity in the UK in recent years and is commonly used in chilly north European countries. It has been around since the Romans built their original hypocaust systems which used low level furnaces to heat air which was circulated through the space below the stone floors of their villas and bath houses. Different variations have continued to be used throughout the ages, culminating in the modern underfloor heating systems available today.

Once seen as an expensive luxury by the British, it has evolved to become an affordable alternative to traditional heating. A range of technical developments have also made it more efficient and easier to install. There are two different ways of installation, depending on the system you choose and the type of flooring you have. Floor heating systems can either have a layer of screed poured over them, or can simply be fixed to the sub-floor. To avoid wasting heat, underfloor heating insulation is placed underneath. These systems can be used throughout an entire building or be limited to one or two rooms, and often run in tandem with traditional systems.

Corrosion is the enemy of the central heating system and using a good proprietary inhibitor in the water is essential to avoid rusting of radiators and other components. It is a simple task to check to see if your central heating system has an inhibitor in the water and whether it is working efficiently.

Firstly take a sample of water from a radiator which is easier than you may think. Find the drain cock used to drain off the system; this is usually at the base of the boiler if it is a floor standing one, or on a radiator if the boiler is wall mounted. You will need a small amount of water in a suitable glass or bowl into which you put a clean bright nail along with a piece of copper, a coin is fine. This is then left for a few days and when checked if the nail has rusted, there is no inhibitor or not enough in the system in which case this should be added, to do this the system has to be drained.

First ensure that the cold water feed to the expansion tank is off either by closing the wheel valve if fitted, or by tying up the arm on the ball valve. Then fit a suitable hose to the drain outlet, open all the radiator valves and wait until no water is seen running from the hose. It is recommended that the system is flushed using a proprietary cleaner added to the expansion tank and run for the heating for a few days. Repeat the drain off procedure and then add a good inhibitor to the tank which should be at a concentration recommended on the pack normally the guide instructions suggest this is calculated by the number of radiators in your heating system. It is worth being generous in the amount used by adding slightly more than the recommendation. The cost of the inhibitor is cheap compared with the price of replacing leaking radiators or a boiler which can happen through corrosion and it will last for years before you have to check the efficiency of this again.

Underfloor heating has become very popular in the UK, and is now used in the majority of new homes built.  There are three main types of underfloor heating systems available, and each has benefits and drawbacks. 

The first is a forced-air system, where hot air moves through a series of ducts or pipes laid beneath the floor.  This is a variation on the centuries-old Roman system of blowing heat from a fire or furnace, below the raised floor of a residence.  Forced air systems are still in use, but are not as energy efficient as other methods, and are not found in many modern residences.

More common is the hydronic, or water underfloor heating.  In this method hot water is forced through pipes laid beneath the floor.  Often in a new construction these pipes are embedded within the cement foundation, which not only insulates the pipes very well, but provides a heat sink, collecting and slowly releasing the heat.  However, this is a heavy installation, with or without the cement pad, and is not practical as a remodelling project.

The more commonly-found method today is the electric underfloor heating system. This is a series of thin electrical wires woven into a lightweight mat.  Several mats can fit together to cover any size space. They are simply laid over the sub-floor of the area you wish to heat, anchored with Thinset, and then the desired flooring material is laid over the top.

This type of installation is easy enough for a do-it-yourself homeowner to accomplish, though generally the electrical connections require a licensed electrician to ensure you’re not overloading your circuits.

If your home has gas central heating, then you are likely to have an unsightly radiator taking up valuable floor space in your bathroom.  Thankfully, bathroom radiators no longer need be ugly and cumbersome.  There is a wide range of designer radiators available to help transform your bathroom into a pleasant, inviting space.

Designer radiators come in a variety of styles and materials.  Cast iron, aluminium, stainless steel, brushed or powder coated metal, etched or painted glass, and mirrored finishes are all popular choices.  Each of these bathroom radiators has a unique look, complimenting any decor.

Bathroom radiators can be placed virtually anywhere in your washroom to maximize space and functionality.  Mount one horizontally on the wall or set a tall vertical unit in a tight corner to leave plenty of room for bathroom furniture and accessories.  Designer radiators also come in various shapes and sizes that further compliment your bathroom.

Another popular bathroom radiator option is the tubular models that double as towel bars.  These units provide ample hanging storage for towels or clothes while gently warming them and quietly radiating heat throughout the bathroom.  They can be wall mounted or installed on the floor.  Some models even have timers that let you set a warming or drying programme.

With so many different bathroom radiator options available, there’s no reason why you should suffer an unattractive radiator any longer.  Give your bathroom a fresh update with a designer radiator, and you’re sure to create a warm, comfortable environment in your bathroom.

Many homeowners are familiar with water underfloor heating systems as well as the more common electric underfloor heating systems used in many homes these days. But there are now also options on the market for those who are not necessarily seeking heated floors but simply a more efficient manner of insulating against sudden temperature increases and decreases to more effectively manage the electricity bill. This is where an underfloor heating insulation system comes into play, as it creates an economically safe way of maintaining the temperature of a home without relying on any actual underfloor electric heating systems.

Underfloor heating insulations are sold in a variety of forms to meet the very specific needs of each underfloor heating installation. They are not only capable of supporting tiled floors, but they can also work in conjunction with wood and laminate. They combine a unique system of high strength and low thermal conductivity that is ideal for insulating any floor of the house. They are typically designed for use over solid concrete sub-floors, but they are also manufactured in the form of tile backer boards to allow for ease of use when installing an under tile heating system. Underfloor heating insulation is generally waterproof, resistant to mould and rot, easy to handle, inexpensive to purchase, and extremely easy to install. This makes it perfect for the DIY enthusiast who is looking to install an underfloor heating kit without relying on expensive professionals to do the job for him/her. Underfloor heating insulation material and underfloor heating kits are available at most home improvement stores.

Electric underfloor heating is one of the most common types of underfloor heating systems in use today. Mostly they consist of heat mats that are sold as part of an underfloor heating kit. These underfloor heating systems come supplied with a full installation guide that instructs the consumer how to install the underfloor heating kit itself, along with the underfloor heating thermostat. The beauty of modern electric underfloor heating is that the heat mats are thin and extremely easy to install, which means the complexity of the systems used in the 20th century has gone the way of the dinosaur.

Underfloor heating is currently one of the most popular ways to heat the home. Heat rises, so it is only natural that normal heaters have never been able to completely and evenly spread heat throughout the entire home. Most underfloor heating is extremely inexpensive, quite economical, and there is little or no maintenance required. Above and beyond that, there are no radiators or heaters visible to the naked eye, which allows homeowners to customise the interior of their home without having to have an ugly heating unit marring the design space. And considering that underfloor heating kits can be installed underneath any type of flooring material, they are ideal for both home improvement projects such as renovations or for new builds as well. No matter what type of underfloor heating systems you are researching, they are available at any local improvement store for fast and simple installation.

Underfloor heating is known as having been first developed by the Romans centuries ago. It is today a water or electric technology under floor system for heating rooms.

Underfloor heating utilises radiant heat rather than convected heat, this is typically longer lasting heat and is more cost efficient to produce. In the 1960s, electric underfloor heating tended to warm floors using cheap electricity during the night for suitable room temperatures during the day. This tended to be a rather unreliable system of heating however, as heat could not be effectively regulated.

Contemporary underfloor heating controls seek to address this problem. Underfloor heating systems are nowadays designed in such a way as to be self-regulating in the environment of a fully insulated building space. Technically speaking, the heat regulation is driven by the temperature difference between the floor surface and that of the air within a room. As the temperature difference between the floor and the surrounding air can fluctuate continuously, so the underfloor heating system is continuously active to regulate its heat output.

Water or wet underfloor heating control units include a manifold, a pump, a mixing valve and of course an underfloor heating thermostat. A manifold is the centre of a water underfloor heating system. It is this unit which distributes the heated water running throughout the underfloor network of water pipes. A manifold can be a part of an underfloor heating kit, and thus be installed as part of a DIY project. The same is true for the mixing valve that regulates the hot and cold water.